Cotton picking spindle



April 1935. E. A. JOHNSTON 1,996,247

COTTON PICKING SPINDLE Filed Sept. 23, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 2, 1935.

E. A. JOHNSTO N COTTON PICKING SPINDLE Filed Sept. 23, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet s Patented Apr. 2, 1935 UNITED, STATE PAT . p when Promise am Edward A. Johnston, Chicago, Ill., assignorto International Harvester Company,.a. corpora-.

' v :tion of'New Jersey Application September 23, 1933, Serial o. 690,648

' 3 Claims. (01. 56-50) This invention relatesto a method, of manufacturing cotton picker spindles. More specifically, it relates to the manufacture of conical picker spindles having a plurality of barbsfor they are aggressive with respect to the cottonfiber andv yet do not destroy the plant or the uhripened bolls of cotton. The spindle must also possess strength suflicientto'prevent any distortion, bending or breaking by encounter with heavy stalks. g

The solutionof thisproblem with the difficulties above pointed out is the principal object of the present invention. Another object is to adapt a die casting method of manufacture to the construction oia picker spindle having the desired characteristics. These and other objects and the means by whichthey are accomplished will be apparent from the detailed description to follow.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a die casting apparatus specially designed to construct the picker spindles embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure l Figure 3 is a sectional View, showing the three component parts of the conical spindle die re moved from the spindle;

Figure 4 shows the same elements as Figure 3 with the dies in closed position;

Figure 5 is a plan view of a picker spindle made by the process of the present invention;

Figure 6 shows the same spindle as Figure 5 broken away to show the die cast portion and the inserted core;

Figure I is an enlarged sectional view, showing one of the inserted pins which form teeth on the picker spindle. The dotted lines show said pin before it is ground off to form a barb or tooth; and,

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken at right angles to the axis of one of the spindles, showing the location of the pins and the center core in the die cast portion of the spindle.

As shown in Figure l, a steel center core 88,

, position.

l2 atthe bottom of said conical portion, is fitted into adieblock i3. "Said block isprovided with a bore into which the spindle slidably'fits' with theshoulderit abutting the block around [the bore. Thespindle is provided with an enlarged portion it on which gears are cutior rotation of the spindle. These; features have "not [been shown, as they do not constitute apart of the present invention. A cap screw isprovided for securely In an outside casing l t, a member 1];

for holding die blocks which support and surround the s'pindle core. Said member is provided at the top -.with a cylindrical bore it into which the die 53 slidably fits. At the bottom end' of the cylindrical portion, a shoulder 29 is provided'to limit axial movementof the die .A conical chamber 2i extends downwardly from the shoul-' der 28 to the bottom of the member l1, terminat ing adjacent the bottom of the casing it. As shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4,:three dies 22, eachof l2i3 degrees in angular dimension, are fittedin to the conical chamber 2!. v dies abut the bottom of thedie i3. At their bottom ends, said dies abut the bottom 23 of the casing it. It is to be understood that all of the dies are fitted so as to be fluid tight with respect to the hot die casting metal. 0

Each of the segmental dies 22 is provided along the center of its inside conical surface with a flattened portion 24. This flattened portioncan best be seen in Figures 3 and 4. A plurality of small bores 25 are formed in the dies spaced along the flattened portions 24. Prior to assembly of the dies 22 into the holder member ii, a plurality of pins 26 are inserted into the bores. Said pins project from the walls of the dies, as shown in Figure 1. The dies are then placed in-position with the die l3, which carries the steel core It], slidably fitted into the cylindrical portion H9 at the top of the member H. i! of the steelcore is so proportionedthat, when in clamped position ready for casting, it is spaced from the walls a substantially uniform distance, as shown in Figure 1. The pins 26 extend adja-' At the top ends, said having a conical end. portion l I and a shoulder if holding the spindle core Ilq in" The conical portion cent the core, but do not contact the surface on the casing Iii; 1 A stud 30, threaded through" the yoke 28 in alignmentwith the die I3, provides on the completed spindle.

as ground off with their ends terminating in the means for rigidly securing the dies in position for the casting operation.

With the dies set up and clamped in position as above described, hot fluid die casting metal is core is' knurled-prroughened to insure a better bond between the die cast metal and the core.

After the casting operation, which is performed in a conventional die casting machine, the spindle is removed from the dies. formation of the spindle, the ends of the pins 26 are ground off with their ends terminating sub-' stantially in the conical surface of the outside of the spindle. The flattened portions 24 in the die blocks form corresponding flattened portions 2 1' The length of the pins surface of the cone bounding the spindle is determined by the extent of the flattened portion 24. In positioning the pins 26 in the mold, the final position of the pins is determined.

As illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and 8, the pins 26 slant in an angular direction towards the apex of the conical spindle and also slant towards tangential positions withrespect to the radii of the cone. It has been found that this particular angular positioning possesses marked advantages, both for gatheringthe cotton fibers and for dofling the fibers from the spindles. It is due to the necessityfor such an angular position and to the necessity' for having clearance all around the pins that a special method of manufacture was necessary. Previous attempts to cut teeth directly on the spindles have led to very expensive construction and have resulted in the formation of shoulders which prevent satisfactory dofiing.

The circular recess 21 in the dies 22 forms a shoulder 21' on the spindle. After casting, this shoulder is machined to form a thread 32 extending in a direction left-hand with respect to the direction of rotation, whereby, during rotation, there is a tendency for the thread to unwind ma- To complete the terial and to throw particles collecting therearound, and to push the material and particles axially towards the apex of the conical spindle.

It is to be understood that in devising an apparatus for practicing the method of the invention and for constructing an improved picker spindle as contemplated by the invention, applicant has illustrated and described only one machine capable of performing the method and only one type of spindle embodying the features of the invention. However, all modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims are contemplated and form a part of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A cotton picker spindle consisting of a steel core, a die cast conical body around said core having longitudinally extending flattened portions thereon, and pins embedded in the body along the flattened portions and terminating within the surface of the cone formed by continuation of the conical wall of the body over the flattened portions.

2. A cotton picker spindle consisting of a steel core, a die cast conical body around said core having longitudinally extending flattened portions thereon, and pins embedded in the body along the flattened portions thereof and extending at an angle with respect to the surface of the flattened portions, said pins terminating substano tially within the surface of the cone formed by continuation of the conical Wall of the body over the flattened portions.

3. A cotton picker spindle consisting of a conical body having circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending flattened portions thereon, and a series of pins extending from each flattened surface and inclined towards the apex of the spindle, the ends of said pins being beveled on a plane parallel with the flat surface from which they extend and lying within the surface of the cone formed by continuation of the conical wall of the spindle over said flattened surfaces.

EDWARD A. JOHNSTON. 

